Cut-off machines



Jan. 21, 1964 D. FERRIS 3,118,337

CUT-OFF MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 five/72 3f Lowe D. Kerr/5 Jan. 21, 1964 L. D. FERRlS CUT-OFF MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 Jan. 21, 1964 L. D. FERRIS 3,113,337

CUT-OFF MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1958 I e Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 21, 1964 L. D. FERRIS 3,118,337

' CUT-OFF MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 WE |i t -oooooooooojoo -oo i j f/YUf/Zfaf 48 L0h/// D. Farr/5 Jan. 21, 1964 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 L. D. FERRIS CUT-OFF MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 jiwerzfr Lowe fl Frr/S Jan. 21, 1964 L. D. FERRIS CUT-OFF MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 fave/7252* lowd/ Q Err/Z5 United States Patent 3,118,337 CUT-0F]? MACHTNES Lowell D. Ferris, 712 Reid St., West De Pere, Wis. Filed Jan. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 707,899 Claims. (Cl. 83-201) This invention relates to cut-off machines and is particularly concerned with cutting exact, shorter lengths from longer, random lengths of any product.

One object of the invention is to provide a cut-off machine of simple, self-contained construction, of high productive capacity and low maintenance which will automatically receive and feed random lengths of any product to a band knife and reduce such random lengths to shorter, exact lengths of product.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in such a cut-off machine, a band knife with such controls and stabilizing elements as to permit of utilizing boththe power and return runs of the band knife in simultaneous cutting-off operations, so doubling the work capacity of the band knife.

Another object is to provide for the receiving, feeding, exact positioning and clamping of a multiplicity of lanes of product in such a cut-off machine so that all such lanes of product may be acted upon simultaneously by both the power and return runs of the band knife, so

further multiplying the work capacity of the band knife.

Other objects and advantages or the invention will be more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FlG.l1 is a plan view of the preferred form of machine;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is an elevationoection taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the takeaway conveyor, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are schematic views, illustrating the inter-action of the band knife and product conveyor;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a short section of an alternate form of product conveyor;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FlG. 11 is an elevational view of a short section of a second alternate form of product conveyor;

FIG. 12 is a cross-section taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an elevational view of an alternate form of cut-off machine in which only one run of the band knife is employed;

FIG. 14 is an elevational view, in part, of a hydraulically or pneumatically operated band knife unit;

FIG. 15 is a cross-section taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 14; and

PEG. 16 is a perspective detail of the product clamp aligning means.

in the preferred form of machine, rnain frames 10-10 include slideways 11-11 for the accurate guiding of slides 12-12 which, at their upper ends, carry frame 13 of a reciprocating band knife unit shown generally at 14.

The lower ends of slides d2-12 rest upon a band knife unit lifting bar 15 which is carried by lifter arms 16-16 which are affixed in parallel relation to each other to rocker shaft 17.

In operation, rocker shaft 17 receives a rocking motion by means of a cam follower lever assembly, shown generally at 18, and comprised of an adjusting segment 19 solidly affixed to rocker shaft :17, and a cam follower lever 20 adjustably securable to adjusting segment 19 by means of a fastening bolt 21. Thus, a fine adjustment may be made to define the reciprocal limits of travel of 3,118,337 Patented Jan. 21, 1964 ice the band knife 22, particularly to compensate for wear of the band knife 22.

Cam follower lever 20 carries a cam follower roller 23 to follow cam 24 which is afiixed to main drive shaft 25. The high point dwell of cam 24 is so proportioned as to hold the band knife 22 above and clear of the product P all of the time that the product conveyor 33 and the product P is in motion.

It will be noted that, in the preferred, shown form, cam 24 is designed to effect the lifting action only, leaving the descending, working stroke of the band knife unit to be accomplished by gravity. It is found that, for many products, such as household tissue rolls, inte-rfoldcd tissue, etc., such gravity descent, properly controlled by proper design of the falling side of the cam 24, is adequate and, indeed, actually preferable for safety reasons, than a power descent. However, for harder products as, for example, hard-wound tissue, a positive up-and-down stroke may be easily accomplished by the addition of an outer race to cam 2 making of it a track cam.

A conventional main drive and motor is shown generally at 26.

The idle band wheel 27 of band knife unit 14 is mounted upon band knife unit frame 13 by means of conventional band knife takeup and aligning mechanism, shown generally at 218.

The drive band wheel 29 is conventionally mounted for motor drive and drive takeup, shown generally at 30.

Any tendency of the band knife 22 to weave or buckle is restrained by means of side rollers 3 1-31, adjustably mounted in pairs upon outrigger bars 31a-31a so as to bear upon both sides of the band knife 22-22, before and after each passage of the band knife 22 thru a single 'lane of product P. Backup rollers 32-32 bear upon the back edge of band knife 22 to resist the thrust load of the cutting action as band knife 22 acts upon the product P.

Band wheels 27 and 29 are of a diameter equal to any odd number multiplied by the length of the finished product P, so that, as best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, one run of the band knife 22 will act to cut double lengths of product P; and the second run of band knife 22 will act to divide such double lengths into two exact, single lengths of product P.

Conventional sharpening means for band knife 22 is shown generally at 66.

The product P is conveyed and positioned for cutting by means of an endless, automatic positioning product conveyor shown generally at 33. A pair of endless chains 34-34- operate about idle sprockets 35-35 mounted upon idle shaft 36, and about drive sprockets 37-37 affixed to conveyor headshaft 38.

An intermittent motion is imparted to headshaft 38, and so to product conveyor 33, by means of conventional intermittent drive mechanism, shown generally at 39 and driven by main drive shaft 25 by means of sprockets 40, 41, and chain 42. The intermittent drive mechanism 39 is so proportioned that it imparts to the product conveyor 33 a movement of exactly twice a finished product length during approximately one-half of an operating cycle, and holds the product conveyor 33 perfectly motionless during the remainder of the cycle, as the band knife 22 performs its operation of cutting and return.

Product bucket mounting plates 43-43 are attached to conveyor chains 34-34, and product carrying buckets 44-44, of shapes conforming to the product in process, are attached to the mounting plates 43-43.

Product stripper cables 45-45 lie within cable grooves 46-46 which are cut in the bottoms of each of the product carrying buckets 44-44. At the delivery end of product conveyor 33, cables 45-45 pass around idle cable pulley 46, so training the product P to leave prod- 3 net conveyor 33 in a continuing horizontal plane, rather than to tend to remain with the buckets 44-44.

In the working run of conveyor 33, the buckets 44-44 and so, the product P as well, are held to a perfectly horizontal travelling motion by riding upon carrier rails 47-47 which are mounted to main frames -10 by means of rail support 48.

In the return run of conveyor 33, undue sag is prevented by means of idler rollers 49-49 upon which bucket mounting plates 43-43 may ride. The idler rollers 49-49 are mounted upon rails 50-50, in turn supported by struts 51-51 which are attached to main frames 10-10.

Product clamps 52-52 are afiixed to the lower ends of clamp carrying rods 53-53 which are slidably fitted to clamp clamp carrying struts 54-54 which are fixedly mounted to frames 10-10 by means of carrier posts 55-55. Clamp carrying rods 53-53 are prevented from turning by means of key-pins 56-56, co-operating with keyways 57-57, best shown in FIG. 16. Springs 58-58 act to press the clamps 52-52 firmly to the product P as it is being cut by the knife 22. Striker collars 59-59 are adjustably set at the upper ends of clamp carrying rods 53-53 so as to determine the proper amount of lift to be imparted by strikers 60-60 which are attached to band knife unit frame 13.

In operation, when the band knife unit 14 is in its uppermost and dwell position, and the product conveyor 33 is in motion, strikers 60-60 will be impinging upon striker collars 59-59, so holding clamps 52-52 above and clear of the product P. In the descending, cutting motion of band knife unit 14, the first effect will be the separation of striker collars 59-59 from strikers 60-60, so permitting clamp springs 58-58 to act upon clamps 52-52 so as to securely clamp the product P just before the cutting edge of band knife 22 reaches product P; and, product P will remain so clamped all the time that the knife 22 is going thru its motion of cutting and return, being released only when strikers 60-60 have again reached and lifted striker collars 59-59.

A takeaway conveyor, shown generally at 61, operates at somewhat higher speed than product conveyor 33, and is comprised of belts 62-62, belt pulleys 63-63 and side guides 64-64. In operation, product 1 moves naturally from stripper cables 45-45 (which, for a short distance, act as cable conveyors) and on to the takeaway belts 62-62 and between side guides 64-64. Short trim 65-65, having no appreciable length, will be unstable and so, will fall away naturally as the fast belts 62-62 separate each product piece from support by its neighbors.

In FIG. 9, an alternate form of product conveyor, flights 67-67 are used instead of buckets, and act to push the product P along a trough 68. A continuous slot 70 in the bottom of trough 623 permits the passage of flights 67-67, which are hinged at 69 so as to rock back and out of interference when they reach the end of their operating run and begin their return run about drive sprockets 37-37.

In FIG. 11, a second alternate form of product conveyor, idle rollers 71-71 are used instead of trough 68. Short troughs 72-72 are affixed to main frames 10-10 by utilizing rail support 43 and co-operate with product clamps 52-52 to support and hold product P only adjacent cach side of each run of band knife 22. Flights 73-73 are conventional attachment links of chain.

FIG. 13 shows an alternate form of machine in which only one run of the band knife 22 is effective. Intermittent drive mechanism 39 effects an advance of exactly one finished product length per cycle. The band Wheels 27 and 29 may be of any suitable diameter.

The important function of effectively using both the power and return runs of the band knife may be carried out irrespective of the particular methods used for driving the product conveyor and for effecting the reciprocating motion of the band knife unit. Thus, in FIGS. 14 and 15, band knife unit 14 is reciprocally operated hydraulically or pneumatically by means of a suitable cylinder 74, piston 75 and piston rod 76, attached by means of clevis 77 and clevis pin 78 to band knife unit frame 13. Cylinder mounting strut 79 is mounted upon the upper ends of posts 80-80 which are secured to frames 10-10 and also serve as slide-posts for the reciprocating motion of band knife unit 14. In operation, a cam 81, mounted upon drive shaft 25 operates an electric switch 82 to energize solenoid-valves 83-83 to control entry and exit of fluid or air to the cylinder 74.

While in the foregoing specification I have shown specific structures in considerable detail, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A cut-off machine comprising: a pair of main frames containing slideways; a band knife unit containing a band knife and band wheels, the said band knife unit being mounted upon slides, the said slides being adapted to move along said slidcways in reciprocating motion parallel to the axes of the said band wheels of the said band knife unit, the said band wheels being of diameter equal to any odd number multiplied by the finished length of the product being processed the said band knife having power and return run; a product conveyor adapted to convey and position a multiplicity of lanes of product in continuing plane and to cutting range of both the said power and return runs of the said band knife of the said band knife unit; means for actuating the said band knife unit to cause complete severance of all lanes of product by both the said power and return runs of the said band knife; drive means to intermittently urge the said product conveyor a distance equal to twice a finished product length, the said product conveyor urging means being operable during only that part of an operating cycle in which the said band knife is entirely clear of the product.

2. The cut-off machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for actuating the said band knife unit is a cam.

3. A cut-off machine comprising: a main frame containing slidcways; a band knife unit containing a band knife and band wheels, the said band knife unit being mounted upon slides, the said slides being adapted to slide along the said slideways in a plane parallel to the axes of the said band wheels of the said band knife unit; lifter arms co-operating with the said slides to lift the said band knife unit, one end of each of the said lifter arms being affixed to a rocker shaft, the said rocker shaft being bearing-fitted in the said main frame; a cam follower lever free-fitted at one end to the said rocker shaft and adapted to be secured in infinitely variable radial relationship to one of the said lifter arms; a cam follower affixed to the free end of the said cam follower lever; a cam, cooperating with the said cam follower; a product conveyor adapted to convey and position a multiplicity of lanes of product into cutting range of one run of the band knife of the said band knife unit; drive means to intermittently urge the said product conveyor a distance equal to one finished product length, the urge being accomplished during that part of an operating cycle in which the said band knife is held clear of the product.

4. A cut-off machine comprising: a main frame containing slideways; a band knife unit containing a band knife and band wheels, the said band knife unit being mounted upon slides, the said slides being adapted to slide along the said slideways in a plane parallel to the axes of the said band wheels of the said band knife unit; lifter arms co-operating with the said slides to lift the said band knife unit, one end of each of the said lifter arms being afiixed to a rocker shaft, the said rocker shaft being bearing-fitted in the said main frame; a cam follower lever f cc-fitted at one end to the said rocker shaft and adapted to be secured in infinitely variable radial relaionship to one of the said lifter arms; a cam follower aiiixed to the free end of the said cam follower lever; a earn, co-operating with the said cam follower; a product CD1 e'yor adapted to convey and position a multiplicity of lanes of product into cutting range of both the power and .eturn runs of the band knife of the said band knife unit; drive means to intermittently urge the said product conveyor a distance equal to twice a finished product length, the urge being acomplished during that part of an operating cycle in which the said band knife is held clear of the product.

5. in band knife type of cutting-oil machines, the combination of an intermittently driven conveyor for the conveying of products, and a band knife unit, the said conveyor being intermittently driven a distance equal to twice one pie-determined, finished length of product, the said band knife unit containing band knife wheels and a band knife, the said band knife wheels being of diameter substantially equal to any odd number multiplied by one predetermined, finished length of product, the said band knife havin power and return runs, the said band knife unit being intermittently urged to efiect a product-splitting stroke substantially perpendicularly to the said conveyor, either of the said power and return runs of the said band knife so operating to accomplish a first splitting off from longer, random lengths of product, lengths of product equal to twice one pro-determined, finished length of product, the other or" the said power and return runs of the said band knife simultaneously splitting into two are-determined, finished lengths the products previously split by the first spliting run of the said band knife; the intermittent, product splitting stroke of the said band knife unit being accomplished while the said conveyor is idle, and the intermittent movement of the said conveyor being accomplished while the said band knife unit is idle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PAT ENT S 518,261 Maxfield Apr. 17, 1894 743,379 Dillon Nov. 3, 1903 764,717 Foshee July 12, 1904 1,088,092 Reichiinger Feb. 24, 1914 1,372,903 Perkins Mar. 29, 1921 1,617,012 Denrnire Feb. 8, 1927 1,856,169 Rosener May 3, 1932 2,019,465 Rubin Oct. 29, 1935 2,104,258 Hunter Jan. 4, 1938 2,293,063 Jensen Aug. 18, 1942 2,424,659 Hartman July 29, 1947 2,602,987 Wells luly 15, 1952 3,049,954 Bariarnent Aug. 21, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 539,365 Germany Nov. 27, 1931 

1. A CUT-OFF MACHINE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF MAIN FRAMES CONTAINING SLIDEWAYS; A BAND KNIFE UNIT CONTAINING A BAND KNIFE AND BAND WHEELS, THE SAID BAND KNIFE UNIT BEING MOUNTED UPON SLIDES, THE SAID SLIDES BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE ALONG SAID SLIDEWAYS IN RECIPROCATING MOTION PARALLEL TO THE AXES OF THE SAID BAND WHEELS OF THE SAID BAND KNIFE UNIT, THE SAID BAND WHEELS BEING OF DIAMETER EQUAL TO ANY ODD NUMBER MULTIPLIED BY THE FINISHED LENGTH OF THE PRODUCT BEING PROCESSED THE SAID BAND KNIFE HAVING POWER AND RETURN RUN; A PRODUCT CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO CONVEY AND POSITION A MULTIPLICITY OF LANES OF PRODUCT IN CONTINUING PLANE AND TO CUTTING RANGE OF BOTH THE SAID POWER AND RETURN RUNS OF THE SAID BAND KNIFE OF THE SAID BAND KNIFE UNIT; MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE SAID BAND KNIFE UNIT TO CAUSE COMPLETE SEVERANCE OF ALL LANES OF PRODUCT BY BOTH THE SAID POWER AND RETURN RUNS OF THE SAID BAND KNIFE; DRIVE MEANS TO INTERMITTENTLY URGE THE SAID PRODUCT CONVEYOR A DISTANCE EQUAL TO TWICE A FINISHED PRODUCT LENGTH, THE SAID PRODUCT CONVEYOR URGING MEANS BEING OPERABLE DURING ONLY THAT PART OF AN OPERATING CYCLE IN WHICH THE SAID BAND KNIFE IS ENTIRELY CLEAR OF THE PRODUCT. 